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Cell Phone Accessories Could Void Warranty

POSTED: 4:57 pm EST December 16, 2005

Cell phone accessories could cost consumers a lot of money, voiding the phone's warranty if something goes wrong.

Jessica Rule, 11, got a new cell phone from her parents. To make it look more hip, she spent $20 on a rainbow faceplate to replace the original one. She bought the new faceplate at Wireless Dimensions, a mall kiosk store.

"The covers are geared for teenagers. They get home, the phone doesn't work and boom, they are out all that money," said Renee Rule, Jessica's mother.

Unrelated to the purchase of the faceplate, the phone stopped working within a few days.

Rule took the phone back to Cingular Wireless in hopes of getting a replacement.

But, the warranty was voided when the faceplate provided by the manufacturer was replaced.

The family did not purchase an extended warranty and were facing a $250 charge for a new phone.

Cingular worked with the family and provided a replacement free of charge.

A company representative told Call 6's Rafael Sanchez it would not have been an issue if the faceplate purchased was a Cingular product.

"I think it's a huge problem for parents buying phones for Christmas thinking this is something cool to do," Renee Rule said.

Wireless Dimensions owner Paul Persico told Call 6 that they don't do a visual disclosure about the warranty issue, but that his employees tell customers about it.

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